What Is A Heart-Healthy Lifestyle And Why Is It Needed?

Research indicates that over 70% of coronary diseases, meaning diseases of the heart, are due to unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle patterns followed at an excessive scale by humans today. Not only heart diseases but also these choices regarding our food consumption and daily activities that are detrimental to health are putting us increasingly at risk for high blood pressure and diabetes.

No wonder all these diseases are so commonly affecting the people around us today and you would find at least two people at a family gathering who are suffering.

Am I at risk?

Sit back for a while and have a look at your daily lifestyle, your routine from dawn till dusk, your food choices and water intake, the amount of physical work included and the amount of time you spend on the couch in front of the television screen. And then ask yourself: am I at risk of a heart disease or blood pressure issues? Many-a-times, if you are living under stressful conditions, whether this stuff is overwhelming at home or you are too under pressure at work/school, this can affect your health. Adding to this are additional activities that can hamper your body’s performance, including smoking and unmanaged eating habits that might lead to you either becoming obese (putting you at a greater risk for coronary diseases) or underweight and hence weak.

The mental health aspect

Per estimated statistics and proved by research, almost 35% of individuals who are heart patients or have had a stroke find themselves in the shackles of clinical depression and anxiety. A reason for this is the great amount of stress and worry that can come along with the diagnosis and the feeling of not being able to cope up with the illness is what keeps them occupied at most. Their favorite unhealthy foods are replaced by regular medication and check-ups; this is pretty much depressing for them. Their attitude towards the future and life productivity becomes questionable since their bodies are not able to function as actively as they used to. This further more drains the energy that can be used to work out and eat healthily.

The bi-directional approach

The relationship between depression and heart disease is pretty much bi-directional meaning it’s a two-way process: depression can lead to the occurrence of a heart disease and can also be the aftermath of suffering from one. In either way, it can lead to increased chances of the individual suffering from cardiac issues. If you are recovering slowly from a cardiac arrest, it can further affect mood levels and the will to get better, opt for a better lifestyle.

Making the right choices before time

Prevention is better than cure and you hear it a zillion time. Hence, a heart healthy lifestyle needs to be your pick not just when you turn 40 but way before, from the very beginning of your twenties when we all are least bothered about how inactive our lives have become. Staying engaged in physical activities, keeping a track of your weight, being conscious of what you eat, and keeping away from external bad habits that affect your health in all negativity is what needs to adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle.